Hey, remember when we said this, in the early days of Smash blogging, when the world was our oyster and anything seemed possible?

“Smash is no less a fantasy world (by virtue not only of being a musical, but of just being a TV show) but the entire tale is structured around the things Glee doesn’t or won’t show: the grinding rehearsals, the backstage and behind-the-scenes decision-making, the hiring, the money. It would be a little laughable to call this glossy drama, with endless scenes of people walking down very sanitized New York City streets, “gritty,” or even (god forbid) “realistic,” but when a character breaks into song you at least get the impression that she worked damn hard to get it right.”

Yeah, well. We’ll drink to that, because it’s obviously no longer true. Granted, it was no longer true when they did the bowling number last week either. But when Ivy and Karen –ugh, we can’t even type it; THAT’S how much we hated that scene — when Ivy and Karen charmed all of Times Square (with voices that carry for blocks without benefit of sound equipment, apparently) and momentarily forgot how much they loathe each other because… song, you guys; our heads lolled on our necks and our eyes rolled back. Song is magical now in the world of Smash. For instance, song can be used to show that Ivy is a drunken pill-popping mess who can’t get through a number on stage. But song can ALSO be used to depict that same character drinking even MORE, which suddenly makes her such a good performer that she can nail a song she hasn’t even rehearsed with a person she hates and a “band” she’s never seen before. Song, you guys. Magical.

Also: Tom is the type of gay who hates to even drink beer because it’s just so butch and he’s obsessed with the idea that all gay men fall on the proper continuum of gayness and display no traits that aren’t appropriately gay enough. In other words, he’s the kind of gay man who has no friends and dies alone. Or should, anyway. Although granted, sports-gay chorus boy is just as annoying.

Also: Julia’s family. We are forced to ask once again: Who gives a shit? Although it was nice to see that shithead get punched.

And finally: Eileen is something of an idiot for allowing Ellis to breathe.

Discuss. Because God knows we don’t want to this morning. Sorry, Smash-ians, this one was awful.

I can’t discuss it. I didn’t watch it. I didn’t watch the last one, either. I’m done with this show. It bores me. Shame, because I had high hopes for it.

UrsNY

Agree. Agree. Agree. Please let season two be a full reboot. Clear the decks.

SignLadyB

Right now I can’t even see a reason for season 2. Season 2 really? Not for me, thanks.

UrsNY

I can understand that. I’m still hooked on the potential and some of the leads. If they cut the family stuff, Ellis and flimsy-excuses-for-singing scenes, it would be an interesting show. I could forgive and forget (heavy on the forget) the first season.

http://promiscuouslola.blogspot.com/ Cate

Agreed. If they can just get back to rehersals and the ins and out of the making of the show, we’ll be back on track.

tignor

It was released to the press the other day that instead of cutting the family stuff, they are going to show more of it and less of the actual rehearsal and “making the show” scenes. In other words, they are going to start shifting their focus away from the one thing we all still watch for. I don’t see this show surviving if they do that.

UrsNY

Well, crap. Thanks for the heads up. Guess it’s an open space for finally catching up on The Wire.

http://twitter.com/KwanaWrites Kwana Jackson

You titled this post perfectly. It was just awful last night. What was that? High School Musical? I was so confused seeing that Veronica angel singing in the street with the Betty that she is supposed to hate that I just scratch my head and wrote it off as a dream sequence.

Violina23

Ironically, that was the title of the episode.

CozyCat

I was waiting for the cops to come and arrest Ivy. I mean, drunken angel running around Time Square singing?

Browsery

I enjoyed that part, and it was true New York. No one would bat an eyelash at a drunk woman running around in an angel costume in the middle of Time Square. No one. Not even the tourists.

I was hoping, however, to see the Naked Cowboy.

YoungSally

As long as the liquor is in a paper bag it’s kind of legal.

JosephLamour

The reason I watch Smash is because Glee is awful. If Smash becomes JUST AS awful, I’m going to lose my mind.

MilaXX

You don’t know how hoping you’d find last night’s episode awful. Not because I was ill will on this show, but because I thought last night SUCKED and I wasn’t the only one. UGH! I hate what they are doing with Ivy’s character so much! I wanted her to be ambitious, and talented and yes a little bitchy, but in a New York fight for what I want way. Instead she comes off as spoiled and a bit of a mess. This druggie storyline bugs. Karen needs to go back or the good ship lollipop because she make me want to punch her in the face.
Ellis should have been fired 5 times by now and blackballed for being such a weaselly little try hard.
Next week I’m watching RuPaul’s Untucked and DVRing so I can fast forward through the annoying bits.

Violina23

I did enjoy Eileen smacking down Ellis though, didn’t you?

MilaXX

yes, but he needed a much bigger smack down. This should have been bigger and harder.

PhillyJen

Yes. Much bigger. A smack hard enough to send him right off my screen.

I also don’t like what they’re doing with Ivy, but Megan Hilty is the only person I enjoy watching on the show, and even as bad as this storyline is, she’s still fun to watch, and actually acting unlike some arm-flailing stars of the show I could mention.

My enjoyment of Jack Davenport is dying because I have no indication of why Derek does anything and no hint we’re going to find out, so I give up.

JosephLamour

Every time I see him the theme song to Coupling plays in my head.

Annie Leung

I keep waiting for him to start a rant whenever Ivy or Eileen says something to him.

EspyRants

It took me such a long time to stop hearing the words lesbian spank inferno in my head when I saw him. It made Pirates of the Caribbean incredibly awkward.

JosephLamour

I’m hoping he says “international database of naked bottoms” on Smash at some point.

mamacita32

SHADAYIM!

Favorite episode of any tv show ever. Love Steve.

funkypeanut

Hopefully he’s drawn a target on his own back.

GenXcellent

I wish she’d smack him into the Hunger Games.

Onika K Morris-Alleyne

I actually found this one an improvement over the last few, especially over the last one. And despite myself, I found myself charmed by the drunken Times Square singing, at least until the MASSIVE crowd gathered. A small group, sure. But that, like most of the ‘Karen Sings!’ scenes just went overboard.

http://www.GiftedCollector.com Nancy Abrams

And she drops her purse on the ground in the middle of Times Square?

http://profile.yahoo.com/N3MWCES4NOP4QR6VHUTHFUWQKA Delia

I really wanna like this show, but with each passing week I dislike one more character and like one less. I’m at the hate-watching stage now, just waiting for Carl to wander by in his cowboy hat with Rosie Larson’s backpack.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sonja-Brisson/1156967466 Sonja Brisson

Debra Messing needs to salvage her career and have herself hit by a bus in the next episode so she can exit and star in a comedy. Why is she never allowed to be funny? Why is there so little…Broadway? Why do they style Angelica Huston to look like an alien from Star Trek? I don’t understand this show, the writers or why it is still on the air. Or why I still watch it. Oh yeah, that’s because there is no glamour on television and I keep hoping for some.

lordandtaylor

I agree. They seem to go out of their ay to make Angelica look bad. When is that last time you ever saw anyone with that haircut. I long for her Addams family days where she was simply fantastic in every way. Debra is great in light comedy but is going under in SMASH. The whole breakup scene was very “Guiding Light” or Days of our Lives.

Violina23

Holy tv cliches, batman. Rumors are the creator/showrunner is stepping down for season 2. I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing, because networks have an awfully tendency to think the worst part of a show is its biggest asset…

I liked this show for being anti-glee. The songs weren’t as gimmicky, and had a place in the plot, even if it wasn’t directly show-related. I forgave it once, but now it’s just cringeworthy. Ugh.

Show, please don’t self destruct on me.

Signed, Theater nerd who can’t stomach any more Glee.

damnfinecupofcoffee

At AV Club where the reviewer likes the side drama and doesn’t like the Broadway plot (yuck!) says there are rumors that NBC is going to focus more on the personal lives of the characters and less on the behind the scenes Broadway. I really hope this is not true because I am completely with T-Lo on this one…I really don’t care about their personal lives unless it relates to the production. I had to fast foward through the Ellis parts…he creeps me out.

els8383

They need to get back to the Broadway stuff – you know, the PREMISE OF THE SHOW – and stop focusing on secondary characters no one cares about. If I never saw Julia’s ugly husband or kid again, I would be so very happy.

rowsella

This episode…. it wasn’t good. I have to say, I was enjoying the song in Times Square. It took my mind off the fact that Ivy’s become a bitter pill-popping bitch who has lost all concept of professionalism. Maybe Mom was right. Karen is well, not so much as naive as a masochist with a sisterhood complex. Tom also the masochist, attends a republican fundraiser then listens to sports analogies (ugh)– doesn’t he know anyone who works in fashion? Must it all be chorus dancers and stuffed suits? Julia is delusional (well, the first thing I would do after ending an affair is to litter horrible maudlin songs about it around my house for my husband and son to see). The best part is the guy getting punched and the worst part is Ellis NOT getting punched.

StelledelMare

Jeez, ever since the workshop it has been slowly declining.

SneakyKitty

I did enjoy Karen in the green-screen suit, for some reason that made me laugh ’cause of how ridiculous she looked. But the rest was… meh. I wanna punch my TV every time Ellis is on screen. Why hasn’t Eileen gotten rid of him yet? Julia’s son needs as little screen time as possible, his delivery on his lines is terrible. I did enjoy Karen telling Ivy off, if only because it finally showed that Karen can be something other than a goody goody if she wants to. And Drunk Ivy and Karen were cute, hanging out together and acknowledging that they don’t like each other… but the big musical number ruined that pretty quick. I want to like Tom, but his insistence that everyone fit into his little box of What It Means to be Gay is REALLY annoying. But so is Sports Gay.

BLEGH. I liked this show for the first few episodes, now it’s getting really annoying and I don’t know why I keep watching.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1046681022 Paula Berman

I thought Karen said one bitchy thing, then felt guilty and followed Ivy all, “But Ivy!” I mean, if you’re going to get into it, GET INTO IT! The BFF thing was so ridiculous and off. They should not be cute together. Karen should be angry at Ivy’s consistently horrible treatment of her. Karen is too nice and it makes me dislike her.

greyhoundgirl

It’s too bad because NBC put an awful lot into this show–more than any other they’re banking on it to save them (someone in my family works in NBC publicity). And the inside word is that Debra Messing is a difficult and demanding diva.

lilibetp

Really? Why does that not register on my surprise meter? Although Julia and Tom are cute together, I’ve only ever liked on her on Will and Grace.

http://twitter.com/jerseyemo Edwina

Last night, American Masters aired two episodes; one was about Margaret Mitchell and the other was on Harper Lee who were both fabulously creative and interesting women. Based upon your review, I’m glad that I chose the creators of Gone with the Wind and to Kill a Mockingbird over the feeble creation that is Smash.

CarolinLA

Sure they’re interesting, but can they break into song?!

GorgeousThings

Why is Weasel Boy (Ellis) even there? He’s just a trope for moving the plot along, it seems. The writers are too lazy to come up with real plot lines.

Derek, though. He’s the reason to watch.

http://profile.yahoo.com/J2VE4NE2FY2BP4QD2XOYKJGLPI Laura

they’re ruining Derek, too, though. It’s too bad…

lordandtaylor

Thruman? Hmmm. I bet the viewed a DVD of THE PRODUCERS before booking her. God help us if she reprises the character on SMASH

GenXcellent

I love Uma Thurman so I’m excited to see her. Guessing it’ll be for a few episodes of fun drawn and her character won’t end up working out. Because Uma Thurman as a permanent cast member on a non-HBO or Showtime show would just make me sad.

This week’s was (just slightly) better than last week’s – Frank got to be angry at creepy Michael and Karen got to tell Ivy off, for a second or two, anyway. Tom’s recoil at the idea of a beer was pretty ridiculous, though his double-take at the dead animal head next to him at the Republican fund-raiser was great. I agree with all of your that Ellis’ conniving is beyond ludicrious. But my main frustration is one that many of you obviously share: why has the show about Marilyn become so peripheral to the….can we use this word under the circumstances…action??? I guess we’re supposed to be seeing some of the challenges and tedium of getting a big show to Broadway. But it’s making for tedious television.

http://twitter.com/foodycatAlicia foodycatAlicia

Tom had better be the name of a character – that was just a disturbing rant from Lo otherwise!

lilibetp

LOL That confused me for a minute, too.

http://www.GiftedCollector.com Nancy Abrams

I, too, was incredulous that he would be saying that until I realized it was the character Tom on the show. Whew!

http://twitter.com/karenwalsh Karen Walsh

Um, yeah. They certainly need to get back to what we loved in the first placed: behind the scenes show stuff. And much, much more Derek. Definitely not enough memorable musical numbers last night that made sense. Except Norbert Leo Butz! Only good thing about last night.

http://profile.yahoo.com/C5DHGDPX5J7BENE4HI6TBQUZHM Kathryn

Right!?! I squeed with delight when I saw him but then he didn’t even get to finish the song. Ridiculous.

FunButNutz

Love me some Norbert Leo Butz! “Real Big Stuff!”

Lilithcat

Disqus seems to have eaten my comment.

But that’s not much of a loss, as I have nothing to say about this episode. Because I was done with this show two episodes ago.

http://www.tomandlorenzo.com/ Tom and Lorenzo

It is precisely because you have nothing to say about this episode that your post (and several from others saying the same thing) was deleted. Leave these comments sections for the people who actually have something to say about the topic being discussed, please.

Carrie Levin

Agreed. I think I’m done. Too bad – it had potential.

SignLadyB

I think I’ve given up on Smash. It had such fun potential. But Debra Messing (I thought I liked her) is just a mess both as an actress and as her character. I really don’t get what Angelica Houston is even doing in this show–certainly not acting. Ivy and Karen can just both go back to where they came from–both their characters and their real selves. And the men? Oh, don’t even get me started.

http://profile.yahoo.com/J2VE4NE2FY2BP4QD2XOYKJGLPI Laura

Horrific episode. I deleted it off my TiVo when Ellis asked to be a co-producer, didn’t even watch the rest of the scene. Done.

I couldn’t watch the breaking into song in Time Square and the gay Republican thing was awful for a character who is already completely unappealing. Both of them are, actually. I did not care one bit about Julia and her husband breaking up. I deleted my season pass. Done with this show.

Well at least Revenge is coming back next week. Can we talk about Mad Men some more?

MzzPants

I really don’t want this show to go south. Last night did not fill me with hope and I’m praying to God that the writers pull it together.

I was completely thrown when Ivy and Karen were suddenly drunk and acting like BFF’s. I hated that singing in Time Square. So fake. I’d like to see Ellis get smacked down but good. Hate him.

Anathema_Device

Ooh, thanks for the warning. I was sick last week and watched all the previous episodes in 2 sittings. I really enjoyed it at first, then I got exasperated. I couldn’t figure out whether that was due to burn out from watching so many episodes at one, the decline of the storytelling, or the virus. I’m traveling this week, so I’ll have to play catch-up again.

Why has Ivy declined so fast after working her ass off? What I loved about the first few episodes is that I went back and forth on who I thought deserved Marilyn. The show did a great job of showing the work, desire, talent, and machinations necessary for theater success. I hope it course corrects.

beebee10

still hoping, still watching. better than last week!

Kristen Wirick

The only thing I really liked about this episode was the orange juice commercial.

CQAussie

completely forgot it was even on last night and only realised when I saw this post. Pretty sure it’s on the DVR so will watch tonight. Thanks for the warning. Let me know when Ellis gets punched.

http://twitter.com/chylde bellalozza

Yeah, it sucked balls. I just want McPhee to have her own show about breaking into the bizness, with the chorus folks as sidekicks and please get rid of all the others –except Derek as the evil director.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1046681022 Paula Berman

Derek is really the only good thing on the show at this point, and this episode was not very Derek-heavy. The one thing I am looking forward to for next week is Ivy confronting him about propositioning Karen first, which probably won’t even happen.

http://www.GiftedCollector.com Nancy Abrams

Oh, it’ll happen but at the most inappropriate time with her screaming at him and stalking off.

introspective

I DVR it because I watch something else at 10 on Mondays. And with every week it takes me longer and longer to get to watching it. I havent watched this one yet, but I was hopeful. I felt like last week’s ep was so bad with electronica Marilyn and Ellis inexplicably snooping around at the Brooklyn pier that they could go nowhere but up this week. Apparently from TLo’s review it seems the writers are just getting started on plunging the depths of bad plotlines. can we go back to early days of the workshop please??

gabbilevy

The only thing that’s keeping me hopeful on this one is that the people involved have acknowledged that the show is problematic, but all these episodes were already in the can when they premiered in February. Any new episodes *should* be written and produced with the knowledge that the first season really blew it on a great concept.

CozyCat

In the article in the NY Times about the change in show runner people “speaking for the network” acknowledged the complaints that the show had moved away from the show development story line and spent too much time on the characters soapy personal stories.

http://profile.yahoo.com/J2VE4NE2FY2BP4QD2XOYKJGLPI Laura

Hey, did anyone else notice that allegedly straight Ellis was apparently sleeping with the gay assistant to get him to convince the star to consider Marilyn? What was up with that? Did I read that wrong?…

Browsery

That’s how I read it. Ellis will do anything to climb to the top.

FunButNutz

Puhleeze, he’s barely passable as “straight”

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1046681022 Paula Berman

Maybe he’s bisexual?

http://profile.yahoo.com/J2VE4NE2FY2BP4QD2XOYKJGLPI Laura

opportunisexual?

bluessis

Yeah, that is what I wondered too. If I didn’t already hate him so much, I would have almost felt sorry for him when he got slapped down at the end, just because it is implied that he pimped himself out to get to that ‘co-producer’ level. But he is such a jerk, I really couldn’t care.

LOVE Derek, but I agree, hating the family soap opera stuff. Tom (the character, not from TLo) is getting on my last nerve.

YoungSally

Agreed — wondered why it seemed to take so long to come up in the thread.

http://www.facebook.com/teresaec Teresa Enright Campbell

I only started watching Smash over the weekend, mini-marathoning my way through the season and was so looking forward to last night’s episode only to…… Ugh. Worst show of the season.

Aaron Smock

So, the reason Ellis is so annoying is that the writers have cast him as the villain, but have failed to give the character any real motivation for his actions. They depend on those ridiculous underwear chats with his girlfriend to provide explanation; then, all that is actually explained is that he’s an idiot: “So, I got this new job with a writer, and he was saying something to his partner about Marilyn Monroe today, and I was like ‘Marilyn the Musical,’ and now they’re developing it, so I guess I’m a writer now” . . . “So, I guess I don’t want to be a writer anymore, because the only writer I know is a pansy who refuses to play with me. But there’s this kick-ass producer chick who makes me feel funny inside, so I guess that means I’m a producer. Only, I don’t really know what a producer does, but I’m pretty sure it involves sleeping with successful men. Sorry, Babe.”

As far as Tom is concerned: it does not bode well that I (as a flamboyant, grossly liberal gay man) would rather they develop an entire dramady around the Republican-lawyer-boyfriend-minor-character than continue to write material for the hot-mess that is Tom-the-major-character.

Celandine1

I kind of love the conservative lawyer boyfriend. A few episodes ago I was ready to be ticked off if the writers were going to pull the obvious and have Tom dump him for sporty gay chorus boy. Now I think he deserves better than the bad stereotype that Tom has become.

Ellis just doesn’t make any sense, he should go be Rachel Zoe’s assistant. He seems like a character from a reality show that hasn’t got a clue but is kept on by the producers to stir the pot.

Celandine1

I kind of love the conservative lawyer boyfriend. A few episodes ago I was ready to be ticked off if the writers were going to pull the obvious and have Tom dump him for sporty gay chorus boy. Now I think he deserves better than the bad stereotype that Tom has become.

Ellis just doesn’t make any sense, he should go be Rachel Zoe’s assistant. He seems like a character from a reality show that hasn’t got a clue but is kept on by the producers to stir the pot.

http://asskickingadviser.com/ Ass Kicking Adviser

I’m on the verge of giving up. So she’s drunk, she falls down, she heads out onto the street in an a skimpy angel outfit while everyone else is in coats and scarves and then she drinks more and then she is, um, warm and happy? Great recipe. I’ll try that one myself. I kept thinking it was a dream and she was going to wake up in the sewer.

http://LazyCash10.com/ << Work at home, $60/h, link

You know I say just what I think, and nothing more and less. I cannot say one thing and mean another.

http://twitter.com/molfox Molly Fox

So many unbelievable elements to this episode, and the whole series. I’m a professional dresser. Theater isn’t like Smash! You’d never leave the theater in costume! You’d be tackled. If you wandered off the stage high on pills or whatever, an army of people would sit you down and make sure you’re ok. You wouldn’t be able to wander into Times Square in an angel costume.

Browsery

I much prefer the episodes that have strong, dramatically justified, singing and dancing scenes, but I didn’t mind the drama between Julia and her husband. It was affecting. In addition, it was nice for a change to see a wronged “good husband” instead of a wife.

lordandtaylor

Dear Sam: Yes, you. I saw your name as the writer of this TV sitcom/drama/train wreck. I see you are loosing a great deal of the audience from your lead in show, The Voice. Such high hopes we had at the beginning. Now Smash makes “THE COLBYS” (remember that show kids?) seem like a Pulitzer Prize drama. You forgot one important thing…we don’t much care for the characters you’ve created. Seriously, the Ellis guy? Why? And Tom walking around saying, “I hate republications.” Since you had the husband walk out, how about the son. Pleeeeeeeeeeze! There is about three minutes of good TV in every show. It seems you do musical numbers just to have product for I-tunes. I think I wil only peek in once in a while. it si back th CASTLE or HAWAII for me.

Annie Leung

Did anything happen between Ellis and that agent guy? It seemed like it was leading somewhere but then my attention kind of waned and the moment passed. I’ve rarely ever wished for a horrible fate for any TV character but Ellis certainly deserves some kind of Broadway blacklisting or Mean Girls-esque bus accident. Seriously, what is on this little snot’s resume that they can’t just get rid of him? Same thing in regards to Tom and his “boyfriend”, it’s obvious he’s going to dump him to be with the chorus boy and that’s fine, but why drag the storyline out when it doesn’t need to be? The best moment last night was Karen and the CGI orange juice commercial simply for its sheer ridiculousness. If only Miranda Priestly were a real person and could purse her lips at what SMASH has become.

royinhell

In all these backstage dramas, there’s one gimmick that never fails to annoy me- Actors are NOT allowed to leave the theater in costume EVER. The chorus boy in a tux on his phone outside the stage door? Not gonna happen (and telling someone not in the company to just go backstage during a performance? Wrong.) Letting a messed-up actress just leave the stage – and the theater- without being stopped by a stage manager or her dresser? Unthinkable. Sloppy writing from those who should know better.

Speaking of gimmicks- I did like one thing: they covered a Times Square billboard with a giant fake ad for the 2003-4 Bernadette Peters revival of “Gypsy” (which played the Shubert theater where “Heaven on Earth” is).

YoungSally

As a NY-er…it was funny to see all the random ad placement in Times Square…..nice segue from the OJ commercial where the director kept saying CGI CGI CGI.

solastalgia

I dunno, I actually really enjoyed this episode and thought it was a step up from the last. The Ivy/Karen song wasn’t believable, yes, but I was glad to actually see them having fun together. (I do think the fact that an entire crowd gathered around them was a bit ridiculous, though.) That scene humanized Ivy, I feel. And it isn’t like Karen and Ivy are suddenly going to be best friends now, because that is of course out of character.

solastalgia

I dunno, I actually really enjoyed this episode and thought it was a step up from the last. The Ivy/Karen song wasn’t believable, yes, but I was glad to actually see them having fun together. (I do think the fact that an entire crowd gathered around them was a bit ridiculous, though.) That scene humanized Ivy, I feel. And it isn’t like Karen and Ivy are suddenly going to be best friends now, because that is of course out of character.

solastalgia

Also, did anyone else see the implication that Ellis slept with that assistant to the star? I wonder why they didn’t go further with that or at least make the point a bit more clear? In any case, it was nice to see him put in his place by Eileen.

marishka1

Oh, it was pretty clear to me…and I didn’t need to see any more of it! Put me on the “I-hate-Ellis-and-think-he’s-a-slimy-little-weasel” bandwagon.

mommyca

Wow! I’m glad I missed it then, since a friend called me and I had it on the background and couldn’t pay much attention to it… I guess I shouldn’t watch the whole thing online then? I’d rather spend the time watching Mad Men again…. or even The Killing!

FunButNutz

Why are they making Debra Messing’s character the queen of the downers? I mean, her main talent is that she does comedy well…and all she does in this mess of a show is mope around and weep.

BobStPaul

This was the first I’d watched since the initial episode and in contrast to almost everyone else I actually enjoyed it. I don’t get all the Debra Messing criticism – I remarked to myself during the show about just how good a job she’s doing. Sure, the Times Square thing was hokey but the episode overall wasn’t that bad. Perhaps my view is colored by the fact that I didn’t have very high expectations for the show from the beginning.

solastalgia

Yeah, I felt the same way. I actually smiled and laughed about a lot of things this episode whereas the episode before that just left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I think the show is back on its way up.

Diane_Chambers

I love this reefer madness storyline. No one on tv can ever take a prescription drug without having his or her life fall apart. I wonder if Ivy’s pill-popping will be magically cured next week. Who needs Prednisone when you can have sister bonding sing-song time!

VanessaDK

Education TLo please?

I know a few guys like “sports-gay” and don’t find them or the character annoying. I find him refreshingly down to Earth.

However, I also know a few gay Republicans and not one of them would kiss a guy at a Republican fundraiser. They are still taking women with them to functions, so they look like two couples. I don’t blame Tom for considering politics a deal breaker.

http://twitter.com/GeekGirlMeetup Geek Girl Meetup

I assumed it was a Log Cabin Republicans type thing, since the speech was all “we need to get candidates out there”

http://twitter.com/HMetsis Hanna Metsis

I assumed it was a Log Cabin Republicans type thing.

http://www.GiftedCollector.com Nancy Abrams

It was a fundraiser for a gay Republican candidate.

YoungSally

Of course it was…but then again he only referred to the candidate as his former “roommate.” Maybe that isn’t Republican for gay.

hughman

I kind of lost it during the TImes Square debacle when they cut to pics of the crowd all looking like they’d just come from a J. Crew shoot.

Also, I looked at Ivy’s “angel costume” and thought “huh, this looks familiar” then BOOM! IT WAS WHAT PHI-PHI WORE ON RPDR WHEN THEY DID THE DUOS!! Sharon Needles was the devil and Phi-Phi wore that hookey-jookey halo made out of an old florescent bulb. I would so love to see Ivy and Karen be forced to lip-sync for their life. Literally.

http://twitter.com/TigerLaverada TigerLaverada

Yeah, when they broke into song in Times Square, I said, “Please — no.” This show has morphed from being about creating a good Broadway musical to being like a bad movie musical.

StillGary

YES! That street corner had great acustics!

Rroxy

If they keep this up, I’m either going to throw up or stop watching. The paiiiin of watching, yet again, Julia’s awful husband and son on screen. Please go teach math in Idaho and take Junior with you. PLEASE! And how cliché is it that Julia seems to krank out her best work when her love life is going to pot? Ellis… Words fail me. I think that he’s supposed to represent the new generation that can’t wait for his place on top and will push and shove anyone who stands in his way, but geez! All in the space of a few weeks? Nobody is that stupid! I didn’t mind Ivy and Karen’ s song number. At least, it was theater of a sort! I DID mind that Karen plunked down her purse on the ground, in New York City, with a crowd of onlookers. Hello! Want to get robbed much? Get rid of all the lovers, friends, family (unless they’re in showbiz) and please! stop showing me hubby, and hubby singing! There is so much potential in thecast and crew, why do they have to push the non-entities on us? Derek, Derek, Eileen, Tom and Julia sans baggage… Of course they’ve got me for next week, I want to see Uma dance now… I love Frank Davenport in this. He’s scrumptious. And Ellis is a ‘ho. I knew that.

http://twitter.com/Tatiana_Putra Tatiana Putra

If I see ONE more scene where Ivy stares at a pill container I am turning it off! You can play a drinking game with it..WE GET THE POINT!

ZnSD

…but inevitable. I’ve been waiting for the “Ivy and Karen are friends” episode since the beginning.

YolandaHawkins

I applaud you for having that much to say. This episode could be summed up in one word: CRAP! Kudos to the Julia’s husband (I cannot nor will I bother to remember his name) for clocking that shithead (aka whatever his name is)!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1523970099 Ana Cedillo

i didnt really have a problem with the breaking into song scene, we all want to believe that song really does do something magical for you. or at least anyone who loves musical theather and music, we fantasize that song and music can really bring people together and the whole unrealistic dream. what i found annoying however is taht it was so obviously fake. i realy wish karen and ivy would have actually been singing like for the first time and not prerecorded, that would have been way more fun and realistic and believable. as for the rest of people.whatever. i just want them to go back to reherasals and singing and dancing.

The only thing good in the show was Norbert Leo Butz’s dancing in “Heaven on Earth”. He’s a great entertainer.

TieDye64

I thoroughly enjoyed the first couple of episodes and had high hopes, but more and more I’m finding myself distracted by almost anything else while it’s on. Laundry, dishes, a magazine. They lost me.

TieDye64

I thoroughly enjoyed the first couple of episodes and had high hopes, but more and more I’m finding myself distracted by almost anything else while it’s on. Laundry, dishes, a magazine. They lost me.

byhowell

I don’t know who I was more embarrassed for during the drunken “Heaven on Earth” scene, Ivy or the actress who plays her. That was terrible television.
I really want to like this show and it has potential, but not sure how many more episodes I’ll give it.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RHLSUVX3NCPB4OSS5BM7GZIXUE P. Capet

it’s finally gotten to the stage when i can actually enjoy it, because it’s so bad it’s good. oh, and i know who katharine mcphee reminds me of: jaclyn smith. she’ll have a nice long non-acting acting career ahead of her. oh, and what’s with ivy being all drunk and all? first she overuses anxiety pills but still seems super-anxious all the time, then takes another pill and is high as a kite, and then all of a sudden she’s abusing alcohol? that was quick. oh, right. she needed to become a lush so they could write that scene with her and katharine drinkin n singin in the street. ugh. but that’s how the writing’s been all year — so sloppy.

http://twitter.com/HotMessHousWife Sammi M

I concur on all points. I basically fast-forward through the covers. I’m hoping these two episodes were just a way of wrapping up loose plot and that with their return to the rehearsal space next week will return to the actual GOOD parts of the series… but if it continues downhill, I might just have to give up on it now rather than wait for it to sour like “Glee” did.

ChaquitaPhilly

I wish season 2 could be better. Teresa Rebeck is leaving. That’s not good. Or IS IT???
We had such hopes, such dreams…

Joe Coloff

umm and let me guess Ellis is not as straight as I thought cuz I think he slept with that guy, am I right?

http://twitter.com/amndad amanda lynn

I finally got to watch it; and I agree; I really really hope that the writers pull it together. I appreciated the “sleeping out for rent tickets in 1996″ line… and Norbert Leo Butz can do no wrong. Glad he got some screentime…I’m hoping that there’s more “Heaven on Earth” scenes so we can watch him! Or maybe the new DiMaggio…

EliseC

Have you given up on the recaps for Smash

Laura Nugent

Did this, admittedly awful, episode turn you off of blogging Smash any more? I only really started watching because you guys were blogging it, but if you’re not going to any longer, I might be losing interest.